The long-term dynamics of the Jovian irregular satellites^⋆

¹ FUNDP, University of NamurDepartment of Mathematics and NAmur Center for Complex SYStems (NAXYS), Rempart de la Vierge 8, 5000 Namur, Belgium
e-mail: julien.frouard@fundp.ac.be
² Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Éphémerides (IMCCE), Paris Observatory, UPMC, USTL, CNRS UMR 8028, Avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
³ University of Lille 1, LAL-IMCCE, CNRS UMR 8028, 59000 Lille, France
e-mail: Alain.Vienne@univ-lille1.fr; Marc.Fouchard@univ-lille1.fr

Received: 5 October 2010
Accepted: 29 March 2011

Abstract

Context. The dynamical region of the Jovian irregular satellites presents an interesting web of resonances that are not yet fully understood. Of particular interest is the influence of the resonances on the stochasticity of the individual orbits of the satellites, as well as on the long-term chaotic diffusion of the different families of satellites.

Aims. We make a systematic numerical study of the satellite region to determine the important resonances for the dynamics, to search for the chaotic zones, and to determine their influences on the dynamics of the satellites. We also compare these numerical results to previous analytical works.

Methods. Using extensive numerical integrations of the satellites along with an indicator of chaos (MEGNO), we show global and detailed views of the retrograde and prograde regions for various dynamical models of increasing complexity and indicate the appearance of the different types of resonances and the implied chaos.

Results. Along with secular and mean motion resonances that shape the dynamical regions of the satellites, we report a number of resonances involving the Great Inequality, and which are present in the system thanks to the wide range of the values of frequencies of the pericenter available for the satellites. The chaotic diffusion of the satellites is also studied and shows the long-term stability of the Ananke and Carme families, in contrast to the Pasiphae family.